A Rose for Her Caskett
by Eliza Caste
Summary: Castle isn't happy when Kate has to go undercover as a rich party girl to nail a dangerous drug kingpin. Will he be able to save her this time? Or will Kate be lost to a world of drugs,violence,& crime? Secrets,seduction,& Caskett love.
1. Prologue

Victor placed Kate's limp body on the bed. Even though she wanted to put up a struggle, her arms and legs were just too weak and they failed her. Then, there was the overwhelming nausea and the gut-wrenching pain in her stomach. It felt like knives stabbing her deep down into the depths of her soul. Even though she couldn't think straight, she knew one thing: She had to get out of here…and soon.

Victor leaned down and gently took her face into his hands and looked into her dazed eyes, "My darling Nikki, or should I say Detective Kate Beckett, you have disappointed me. You know, it's never a good idea to disappoint me. It's just too bad things didn't work out because you're quite a beautiful woman, and I do deeply admire your fiery spirit. You've been quite a conquest," he softly whispered into her ear. Victor placed his hand behind her neck and drew her face even closer to his own. Anybody who betrayed him the way she did would have been dead by now, but he looked down at her full crimson lips and decided that he would possess this exquisite woman. He would make her want him as much as he wanted her. He pressed his lips against hers roughly. She tried to fight back, but she was powerless. As he deepened the kiss, she bit his lip and drew blood. "You're such a wild one, aren't you Nikki?" he viciously whispered. He lustfully looked her over, and lightly ran his finger from the nape of her neck, down the front of her blue velvet gown, and finally let it come to rest on her stomach. "Aren't we feeling well? That's too bad. Maybe a glass of wine would help with that," he snickered. "You rest for now, darling. Don't worry. I'll be back in a few hours to pick up where we left off." And with those last words, he walked out of the room and locked the door.

As soon as Victor mentioned the wine, Kate knew. _That bastard!_ He had baited her, trapped her, and poisoned her. When she heard the door shut, she turned her head and let the tears silently fall onto her pillow. She would never let Victor see her cry. Damn it, if she had only listened to Rick, she wouldn't be in this mess. He had begged her not to go back, but she just wouldn't listen. Why did she always have to be so damned stubborn, especially when it came to him? She thought of Rick and the tenderness in his deep blue eyes when he looked at her. She wanted him so much. There was so much left unsaid between them. So much more left to say, that he would never know. Now, she would never see him again.

She was trapped. She could barely move, and the unrelenting pain in her stomach was excruciating. There was no escape, and Victor would be back. With the next wave of pain, she slowly slipped into unconsciousness…


	2. Everything

_10 days earlier…_

Rick Castle stepped off the elevator and into the hall of the 12th precinct. It had actually been a decent morning. After Alexis left for school, he was finally able to get a little bit of serious writing done. It was mid-morning when he finally left his loft and picked up two coffees and a freshly made bear claw for his favorite detective. Now, if only there was a juicy murder to solve…

Rick's face dropped when he saw the huge stack of files on Detective Kate Beckett's desk. Oh, how he hated paperwork, and he hated the boredom that came along with keeping himself occupied while she dredged through it. However, at second glace, he noticed something that sparked his interest. Kate was lazily reclined back in her desk chair with her eyes closed and a soft smile on her face. She looked so relaxed and content. She was wearing earbud headphones and listening to an iPod, which was on her desk. Just what was she listening to? What could put that kind of smile on her face? Curiosity got the best of him, and he made it his new mission to find out.

Rick quietly put the coffee on her desk, smiled, and lightly touched her arm. "Hey, what're you listening to?" Rick had interrupted her moment.

Kate immediately skyrocketed up in her chair, almost fell backwards, and blushed. She quickly pulled the earbuds from her ears and shoved the iPod back into her desk. "Castle, you shouldn't sneak up on people like that. You could get shot."

"If you shot me, who would bring you coffee...and warm, fresh donuts?" he grinned as he waved the bag in front of her face. "Oh, and by the way, just what were you listening to, Detective?"

"First, I'm sure I'd manage to get my own donuts somehow. And second, I was listening to something called music," she growled back at him. Kate was not having a good morning at all. Plagued by incessant nightmares, she had tossed and turned all night. Even though it had been months since the shooting, she was still having the same vivid nightmares of the burning impact when the bullet hit her chest and the pain that she experienced as her life had started to leave her body. And then there was Rick...And those three words...

When she got to work, an overwhelming stack of files awaited her. She knew it was going to be a long haul, so she did something that she normally didn't do. She plugged in her iPod to break up the monotony of the paperwork. She knew Castle wouldn't show up for a few hours, and she wanted to get rid of as many files as she could before another body dropped. However, Kate lost track of time. And then there was that song... Even though she would never admit it, Kate secretly enjoyed listening to Michael Buble. His songs were romantic and intimate. When that song came on, her mind wandered off the file she was working on. She mind wandered to thoughts about Castle...

_You're a falling star, You're the get away car.  
>You're the line in the sand when I go too far.<em>

She leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes. She remembered when Rick had stopped her from diving back into her mother's case again after she was shot.

_You're the swimming pool, on an August day.  
>And you're the perfect thing to say.<br>_

_And you play it coy, but it's kinda cute.  
>Ah, When you smile at me you know exactly what you do.<em>

She remembered his smile when he told her she looked good in the interrogation room after she had missed him all summer while he was away at the Hamptons. She started to smile.

_Baby don't pretend, that you don't know it's true.  
>Cause you can see it when I look at you.<em>

"It's too bad. It would have been great." That's what he said to her after he asked to be one of her conquests following their first case together. He knew what he did, and she gave it right back to him when she softly replied in his ear, "You have no idea."_  
><em> 

_And in this crazy life, and through these crazy times  
>It's you, it's you, You make me sing.<br>You're every line, you're every word, you're everything._

If he only knew what he really meant to her...

Then she felt his touch...on her arm. She had been caught.

In any case, she probably shouldn't have snapped at him. I mean he did bring her coffee, and now he sort of looked like he was pouting. She glanced over at him and said, "Uh...thanks for the coffee." Instantly, his smile returned. Just as he was opening his mouth to question her about what kind of music she was listening to, Gates leaned out of her office and asked to see Beckett.

Glad to be saved from any further questioning from Castle, Kate entered Gates' office.

"Detective Beckett, I just got a call. It seems as if a gentleman by the name of Andrew McGee has just turned up murdered. Does that name ring a bell?"

"Isn't he messed up with some big-time drug lord? Merckson, isn't it?" asked Beckett.

"I'm impressed. Yes, he's the henchman for Arthur Merckson. It seems McGee was doing some dirty work for Merckson and was unexpectedly silenced. His body was found in a back alley with his heart and his hands missing. Pretty gruesome from what they tell me. Anyway, Merckson is not why I called you in here. The murder had the trademarks of a much bigger fish. Have you ever heard of Victor Collins?" questioned Gates.

"The name seems familiar. Doesn't he run drugs in LA?" inquired Beckett.

"Victor Collins is a kingpin that controls a sizable illegal drug trade. He mostly deals in high-end cocaine and heroin. Ever since he took over the business when his father died a few years ago, we've been trying to bust him. Rumor has it that he's even into human trafficking now. We thought he was in LA, but now it looks like he's expanded his business to New York. We have information that part of his operation is being run through a nightclub called Silhouette. I'll cut to the chase. Beckett, we need to nail him for this murder and shut him down before more bodies start piling up. This might be the only chance we get before he really gets established and expands his operation even more."

"What do you need us to do?" asked Beckett, as she nervously pulled back a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

"It's more like what I need _you_ to do. Beckett, you're one of my best detectives. I need you to go undercover at the nightclub. Of course, Detectives Ryan and Esposito will back you up," answered Gates.

"What am I supposed to do? And what's my cover, Sir?" Beckett was definitely not overly excited about this. Why couldn't she just ever deal with a simple murder?

"I want you to infiltrate Collins' operation and try to get some hard evidence so we can put him away for a long time. You'll pose as a very rich party girl."

"But I...," interrupted Beckett

"No buts about it, Detective Beckett. And Castle needs to stay on the sideline with Detectives Esposito and Ryan on this one. Understand?"

"Yes Sir," replied Beckett.

"Now get your team and get to the murder scene." Gates ordered.

This morning had just gone from bad to worse.

During the time that Kate was in Gates' office, Castle had plans of his own. He sneakily glanced around the precinct and made sure nobody was watching him. When the moment was right, he carefully opened Kate's desk. He inconspicuously turned on the iPod and started listening. He couldn't believe what he was hearing...Michael Buble. He would have never figured Kate for the Michael Buble type. She never ceased to amaze him. He recognized the song...

_You're a carousel, you're a wishing well,  
>And you light me up, when you ring my bell.<br>You're a mystery, you're from outer space,  
>You're every minute of my everyday.<em>

Rick grinned as he remembered the "alien" case where they were abducted and she woke up with her head on his shoulder.

_And I can't believe, uh that I'm your man,  
>And I get to kiss you baby just because I can.<br>_

Boy, did he wish that he could just grab Kate and kiss her whenever he wanted. However, he knew she just might shoot him if he ever tried. He glanced up and saw Kate walking towards Gates' door. He quickly turned off the iPod and shoved it back into the desk where he found it. He sat back in his chair and tried his best to look nonchalant and innocent. He did notice she looked worried and preoccupied as she made her way back to her desk._  
><em> 

"C'mon Castle. We've got a murder to solve," she said as she grabbed her coat. She kept on walking, not even looking back to see if he was following her.

Castle jumped up and excitedly grabbed his coat. He was just like a kid at Christmas who couldn't wait to open his presents. He got so caught up in his excitement that he absentmindedly hummed "_It's you, it's you, You make me sing. You're every line, you're every word, you're everything." _on their way to the elevator_. _It just came out before he could stop it. Oh God, he couldn't believe he did that. What was he thinking? The problem was that he wasn't thinking. Hopefully, she didn't hear it. He prayed she didn't hear it.

As the elevator doors shut, Kate said, "Castle, we need to talk." 


	3. Last One Standing

_Previously…_

_"C'mon Castle. We've got a murder to solve," she said as she grabbed her coat. She kept on walking, not even looking back to see if he was following her._

_Castle jumped up and excitedly grabbed his coat. He was just like a kid at Christmas who couldn't wait to open his presents. He got so caught up in his excitement that he absentmindedly hummed "It's you, it's you, You make me sing. You're every line, you're every word, you're everything." on their way to the elevator. It just came out before he could stop it. Oh God, he couldn't believe he did that. What was he thinking? The problem was that he wasn't thinking. Hopefully, she didn't hear it. He prayed she didn't hear it._

_As the elevator doors shut, Kate said, "Castle, we need to talk."_

Kate was completely silent for the first five minutes of the drive to the murder scene. Castle could tell there was definitely something on her mind, which worried him. Her brows were furrowed, deep in thought. Castle sat quietly and nervously tapped the window button of the car door. Did she see him scramble to put the iPod back into her desk? She would definitely make him pay dearly if she had. He suddenly got a cold chill that sent shivers up his spine. Hmmm…maybe she would bring out her handcuffs. Actually, that sounded appealing. Just as he started daydreaming about Kate having her way with him while he was cuffed, her voice interrupted his fantasy.

"Castle, we need to talk," her voice echoed the words she spoke in the elevator. As she glanced over at him, she could tell he must have been preoccupied in his own thoughts, because he jumped.

"What's on your mind?" he tentatively asked.

"Remember when Gates called me into her office?" Kate asked.

"How could I forget," answered Rick, squirming a little in his seat while he remembered his earlier transgression with her iPod.

"She wanted to talk to me about our next murder case. The vic is a guy named Andrew McGee. He has a long history of being messed up with a drug lord named Arthur Merckson. Apparently, he was Merckson's henchman. While he was doing some of Merckson's dirty work, someone murdered him. The murder had trademarks of a much bigger kingpin named Victor Collins," stated Kate.

"I've heard of him. He definitely isn't the type of guy you'd want to cross," commented Rick. Inwardly he was relieved because he seemed to be off the hook.

"He controls a sizeable illegal drug trade in LA and deals mostly in high-end cocaine and heroin. Now, it looks like he has decided to take his business to New York too. If we can pin this murder on him, then we can shut him down before he gets too comfortable here," continued Kate. She knew what was coming next and started to fidget a little.

"Pinning a murder on someone as big as Collins isn't going to be easy, Detective. Just how are we going to accomplish that?" asked Rick.

"We aren't. They want me to go undercover in a nightclub called Silhouette. He's running drugs through there, and I'm supposed to infiltrate his operation and try to get my hands on some hard evidence to put him away for awhile," Kate responded in a more subdued and quiet voice.

"Wait a minute. You just lost me. They want you to go undercover to single-handedly bring down one of the most dangerous criminals on the western seaboard?" muttered Rick. He suddenly started to see where this conversation was heading, and he had this nagging feeling he wasn't going to like it.

"It's not like I'm going in alone. Ryan and Esposito will be backing me up," she stated matter-of-factly.

"And what's your cover going to be? I know…How about slutty waitress and I could be a ruggedly handsome bartender? I do make a pretty mean margarita. Or I could be the incredibly rich Mr. Reynolds, and you could be my hot companion." he smirked. Both ideas had definite possibilities.

Kate rolled her eyes and replied, "Castle, I'm sorry, but Gates was adamant that you need to hang out with the guys on this one." Kate waited for the other shoe to drop.

"You've got to be kidding! And what's your cover?"

Kate sucked in her upper lip, grimaced, and replied, "Rich party girl."

This was too much. Rick felt like someone had just punched him in the gut. She was going to go undercover as a rich party girl and put herself in the direct line of fire to put away one of the biggest kingpins on the western, and now eastern, seaboard. He had heard of Victor Collins. He was dangerous, and anyone who crossed him ended up dead, if they were lucky. What was she thinking? He knew the answer to that: She wasn't thinking. He had almost lost her not so long ago. He remembered watching helplessly as her life faded from her body. All he knew at that time was that he would never see her again. He would never see her smile or hear her laugh. He would never be amazed by the depth of her perception as she put together the pieces of a murder again. He would never experience a kiss like that again… He just couldn't let her die without knowing, so he had told her. He had said those three words…I love you. But what did that matter now? She didn't remember, and now she was putting herself in danger again. At least when she got shot, she was trying to solve her mother's murder, but this? Why should she risk her life for this? The more he thought about it, the more unsettled he became.

"Kate, tell me you're not seriously going to do this."

"Castle, it's my job," stressed Kate. It did not escape her attention that he had used her first name. She tried to ignore how it made her feel warm inside.

"Is it your job to get killed too? Sure, you'll have back-up, but what good is back-up when there's a gun at your back? These guys don't play around. They're dangerous, hardened criminals who won't hesitate to kill anybody that's standing in their way. What about the people who care about you…" He stopped as he realized he was heading towards unchartered territory.

When he mentioned the word "gun," the warm feeling disappeared and was replaced by the familiar coldness of fear. How dare he do this to her? This was her job. Sure, she was nervous about this case herself, but he had no right to pin this guilt trip on her like this. Her eyes lit up with fiery determination, and she clenched the steering wheel as she spoke sharply to Rick, "I'm sorry, Castle, but this subject is closed for discussion." With that remark, she flipped on the radio.

He couldn't believe it. She had just cut him off. God, this woman drove him crazy! Always had to drive… Always first through the door… Always so damned determined! Well, two could play this game of hers. She didn't want to talk; he wouldn't talk. She'd break sooner or later. When she did, maybe he would finally be able to talk some sense into her.

She had expected him to fight her on this, but instead there was no comeback. He just stared straight ahead in a menacing sort of way. So, in response, she clutched the steering wheel tighter and stared straight ahead as well.

There would have been complete silence in the car if it wasn't for the song that was playing on the radio...

_Well I can barely breathe  
>And I can hear the dark hearts marching<br>I won't go down easily  
>Stay here by my side<br>And we will be the last ones standing  
>Hold my hand and kiss me before the hearts collide<em>

_Cold, the feeling of fear on my skin  
>Dying to find a way in the silver lining<br>The stars, they burn out like dreams all around  
>Falling like rain to the ground<br>But you're still shining  
>And this fire is alive in your eyes<em>

_Well I can barely breathe  
>And I can hear the dark hearts marching<br>I won't go down easily  
>Stay here by my side<br>And we will be the last ones standing  
>Hold my hand and kiss me before the hearts collide<em>

_Don't wake me up  
>I feel your touch<br>Your love like blood runs through me  
>You consume me<em>

As the song played, Rick and Kate both become more and more uncomfortable. They didn't dare look at each other for fear of what they might find in each other's eyes.

Finally, Kate couldn't take anymore, and she shut the radio off, much to Rick's relief. In a couple of minutes, they were at the crime scene anyway.

They both wasted no time getting out of the car and walking to the crime scene. Although they walked together, they didn't speak one word to each other.

Castle had never seen so much blood. It was everywhere, and the air was thick with its stench. The victim looked to be in his thirties. His heart had been brutally cut out of his chest. His hands had been hacked from his body and were tossed in the alley like unnecessary rubbish. This was a cold, calculated act of violence that was meant to send a clear message. Just what had McGee done to cross Collins? And what the hell was Kate thinking, putting herself at risk like this?

Normally crime scenes didn't get to Beckett, but this one was different. Maybe because there was so much blood or because it was done so callously and without any respect for life. Either way, this murder sickened and repulsed her. Maybe Castle had a good point, but she also had to remember this was her job. The sick butcher who committed this murder needed to be stopped. She struggled not to let her feelings show as Lanie greeted them.

"Hey Beckett. Hey Castle. Our vic is a 30-35 year old male. Cause of death appears to be an initial stab wound to the neck, which severed the carotid artery. Of course, you can see that our perp decided to unmercifully remove our vic's heart and hands. Looks like time of death was between 10PM to 2AM. Funny thing is that I don't notice any signs of a struggle, so I guess our guy didn't fight back.

"Or maybe he wasn't able to," commented Castle.

Kate glanced over at Castle and then turned her focus back to Detective Esposito. "Did you guys find anything?"

"The only thing we found was his wallet with identification in his back pocket. It still had 200 cash in it. We also searched the alley, but didn't come up with a murder weapon or anything," remarked Esposito.

"Call CSU and have them canvas the area. Any witnesses? Any cameras in the area" asked Kate.

"None that we know of. I'll check the neighborhood, knock on some doors," replied Detective Ryan.

"Okay. We'll meet you guys back at the precinct. We've got a lot of ground to cover." Kate looked up and caught Castle blankly staring at the body. The look on his face was grim, and he had a coldness in his eyes that she hadn't seen before. Although she tried to ignore it, it sent a shiver up her spine. "You comin' Castle?"

"No. Something's come up. I'll just catch a cab." His voice was icy and distant. Without even looking at Kate or waiting for her reply, he brushed past her and abruptly walked away.

Kate was left standing in the alley, wide-eyed in disbelief and Castleless.

If Lanie hadn't seen it, she wouldn't have believed it. Castle just up and left Kate in the middle of a crime scene. She was dying to know what was going on. "Just what's going on between the two of you, girl?" she asked Kate.

Esposito smiled and elbowed Ryan. "Looks like mom and dad are fighting again." Ryan smirked. Esposito was just happy that Lanie was picking on Kate instead of him for once.

As for Kate, she just continued to stand there…

**Thanks to all who are reading and going on this journey with me, and thanks for the reviews. I promise one long ride with a few surprises along the way. I will try my best to post at least one chapter a week. I know Kate was in a very compromising and dangerous position in the Prologue and now Rick and Kate seem to be at odds. All I can say is trust me. I have a lot of plans for these two, and I promise a lot of Caskett to come. By the way, this story is set in Season 5, and they are keeping the same secrets. I'm going to try to include some type of song with most of the chapters. The one for this chapter is "Last One Standing" by Hot Chelle Rae. I hope I don't run out of them. Please feel free to e-mail me any favorite Caskett songs. Thanks again! **

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters.**


	4. Bleed

_Previously..._

_If Lanie hadn't seen it, she wouldn't have believed it. Castle just up and left Kate in the middle of a crime scene. She was dying to know what was going on. "Just what's going on between the two of you, girl?" she asked Kate._

_Esposito smiled and elbowed Ryan. "Looks like mom and dad are fighting again." Ryan smirked. Esposito was just happy that Lanie was picking on Kate instead of him for once._

_As for Kate, she just continued to stand there…_

Castle was able to hail a cab quickly, and before he knew it, he found himself completely removed from the crime scene. Simply put, he was fed up and angry. He had spent the better part of four years shadowing Kate, becoming her partner, her best friend, her… Who was he kidding? He didn't even know what the hell this was anymore. He did know that he was a slave to her every beck and call for the past four years. Countless times, he had brought her coffee. Hell, countless times he had saved her life. And how did she respond to that? She shut him out again. She expected him to stand on the sideline like a faithful puppy dog and watch while she got herself killed. Well, enough was enough. He wasn't going to do it. How could she expect him to? He remembered scrubbing her blood from his hands at the hospital after she had been shot. The thought of it sickened him all over again. Then, he remembered that crime scene. His stomach turned. There was no way in hell she was going to make him find her in a pool of her own blood, dead, and with her heart ripped from her body. He couldn't do it. He wouldn't survive it. He could still remember how excruciating it was when she didn't call him for three months after she was shot. Damn her anyway!

When he finally made it back to his loft, he slammed the door, and leaned his head back against it. He stood there for a minute, while contemplating what he should do next. A vase on a nearby shelf caught his eye. The silk magic flowers she surprised him after the Drake case were nestled safely inside of it. Without thinking, he grabbed the vase and threw it across the room at the fireplace. It smashed into hundreds of tiny little pieces, and the flowers within it fell silently to the floor. He glanced at what he had done for a moment, and then he went directly to his study and slammed the door to it as well. He opened his laptop and stared angrily at it. Five minutes passed. Ten minutes passed. Fifteen minutes passed. He would write. He wouldn't let her get to him. He even contemplated writing Nikki Heat off, as being murdered in a dark back alley with her heart ripped out because she was too damned stubborn and obstinate for her own good. Finally, he got up and flipped on the stereo as a diversion.

Alexis must have been listening to her music on his stereo because he didn't recognize it at first. He listened to a few songs, and then realized the music sounded a lot like that damned uncomfortable song playing on Kate's car radio earlier. As he started to calm down, the lyrics to one of the songs caught his attention.

_I feel like I'm drowning in ice water.  
>My lips have turned a shade of blue.<br>I'm frozen in with this fear,  
>That you may disappear,<br>Before I've given you the truth  
><em>  
><em>I bleed my heart out on this paper for you.<br>So you can see what I can't say.  
>I'm dyin' here (I'm dyin' here),<br>Cuz I can't say what I want to.  
>I bleed my heart out just for you.<em>

As he listened, the song seemed to be a reflection of his life. He might not be lying in an alley with his heart ripped out like the guy today, but he might as well be. Nikki Heat existed for a reason. _  
><em>  
><em>I've always dreamed about this moment.<br>And now it's here and I turned to stone.  
>I stand here petrified,<br>As I look in your eyes.  
>My head is ready to explode.<em>

He remembered how good her lips felt when he pulled her into the kiss that saved Ryan and Esposito. She kissed him back just as fiercely as he had kissed her.

_I bleed my heart out on this paper for you.  
>So you can see what I can't say.<br>I'm dyin' here,  
>Cuz i can't say what I want to.<br>I bleed my heart out just for you.  
><em>  
><em>It's all here in black and white and red.<br>For all those times those words were never said.  
><em>  
><em>I bleed my heart out on this paper for you.<br>So you can see what I can't say.  
>I'm dyin' here,<br>Cuz i can't say what I want to.  
>I bleed my heart out just for you.<br>I bleed my heart out just for you._

When the song was over, he got up and flipped the stereo off. Even though he had calmed down considerably, there was still some residual anger left. He didn't know where they stood, but he did know he was tired of being shut out. Kate was different than most of the women he knew. She was stubborn, headstrong, intelligent, willful, and most of all-dangerous. She was certainly a handful and one of the most tantalizing mysteries he had ever come across. He knew he couldn't let this obstinate woman go out there without him, her partner, and get herself killed, but he also knew he couldn't stand idly by and do nothing but watch. Things were complicated.

He finally shut his laptop and left his study. His mother and Alexis would be back later, and he didn't want them to see the broken remnants of the vase. As he was almost done cleaning up the glass, a stray piece caught the bottom of his hand and cut it. Even though it was deep, he didn't figure it would need stitches. He ran some cold water over it for awhile and haphazardly put on a couple of Band-Aids. He was in a hurry to fix supper. To that end, he put some ACDC on the stereo and started chopping tomatoes for his famous spaghetti. Thoughts of Kate would have to wait until later.

Meanwhile, back at the precinct, Kate was faring no better. After standing in the alley for what seemed like forever, she told the guys she would see them back at the precinct and indignantly walked back to her car. She slammed her car door getting in and slammed it again, while getting out at the precinct. She was so annoyed that she didn't even remember the drive. After she got off the elevator, she tried to get a cup of coffee, but the espresso machine wouldn't work right and burnt her hand. "Castle and his damned espresso machine," she muttered under her breath. She finally settled on a soda from the vending machine.

Esposito and Ryan tried to steer clear of Beckett as much as possible. They realized that an angry Beckett was a dangerous Beckett. Even though she barked orders at them for the rest of the day, they didn't come up with any concrete leads on the murder case. She ended up brooding over the murder board for over an hour, and then dug back into paperwork again. Even though she tried to turn her focus on the paperwork at hand, Castle kept invading her thoughts. She was a detective. It was her job to catch killers. Who was Castle to try to get her to turn her back and walk away from a case? It wasn't as if they were romantically involved. Before her shooting, he was the one who evaded answering her about what they were when she confronted him. I mean, one minute he was asking her to the Hamptons, and the next he was taking his ex-wife instead. Rick Castle was just a rich playboy. God, how he drove her to the edge of madness! Always underfoot. Always cocky. Always the smartass. Even he had admitted that much. She glanced over at his empty chair. What got to her the most was how he left her. He just left her standing there at the crime scene. She had endured a lot from him over the past four years, but walking away from her like that was the last straw.

She was so immersed in her own thoughts of ways to slowly torture Rick Castle that she didn't see Esposito walk over to her desk. "We're wrapping up and heading home. Maybe you should think about doing the same," he said gently. He knew it was a bold statement, but he hated to see her stewing like that for another couple of hours.

"I have a lot of work to do," she grumbled.

Esposito's brotherly instincts kicked in. "You know, he came in here every day for weeks after you were shot. He wouldn't let us give up. Kept on pushing us, driving us. I know how annoying he can be, but it's only because he worries about you. Hell, the man brings you coffee. You don't see him bringing me coffee."

Kate looked up. "I know what you're trying to do, and it's not working. He's an arrogant, egotistical ass."

"And that arrogant, egotistical ass is your partner, like it or not," Esposito replied as he started walking away. "Like I said, go home."

After he left, Kate tried to immerse herself in paperwork again, but her eyes kept wandering back to the empty chair beside her desk. She thought of him coming in for weeks, while she never called. Guilt started to seep into her anger, slowly melting it away. Then, a fierce sense of possessiveness took over. Esposito was right. He was _her_ partner. And like it or not, partners stood by each other and always had each other's backs. _Always_. Partners did not leave each other standing alone in an alley at a crime scene. He owed her more than that, and she was ready to collect.

It was about 5PM when she found herself standing boldly in front of Castle's door. She knocked three times, but he didn't answer. She was so consumed in her own thoughts, that she hadn't noticed the loud music, until now. With the music blaring that loud, he would never be able to hear her. Maybe he intended it to be that way. Maybe he didn't want to be disturbed. She hesitated and thought about leaving, but then she took out the spare key he had given her to his apartment. In case of emergency, they both had exchanged a spare key to each other's apartments. Since he wasn't answering the door, she reasoned it was her responsibility, as_ his _partner, to make sure he was okay.

She quietly opened the door and stood in silent surprise at what she saw. There he was, chopping tomatoes, boiling water, and engrossed in making dinner. ACDC was blasting in the background. He turned to stir the boiling water and strummed his ladle, like a guitar. She observed that he had a couple of Band-aids sloppily applied to his hand. He seemed to squint in pain as he returned to chopping the tomatoes. As she started to move towards him, he glanced up, saw her, and jumped. "Kate, what the hell are you doing here?"

She immediately noticed that he called her by her first name again, which sent a small shiver up her spine. "I…uh…We need to talk." She looked into his bold blue eyes, trying to gauge his emotions.

Any residual feelings of anger vanished as he met her glance. She had the most amazing hazel eyes. "You shouldn't sneak up on people like that. I have a knife," he smirked.

"And I've got a gun. I knocked, but you had your music up so loud that you didn't hear me, so I let myself in. What happened to your hand? Have a run in with that knife of yours?"

"Something like that."

"God, Castle, you shouldn't be chopping tomatoes with it like that. You're going to get it infected. Let me see that." She walked over to him and gently grabbed his hand.

Her touch ignited a special warmth in his hand. "Band-aids, really?" she rolled her eyes as she removed them. She caught her breath. The cut was deep. He probably could use a stitch or two. "Castle, this is deep. C'mon, we need to take care of this." She effortlessly led him into his bathroom. "Do you have some gauze and infection cream?"

"I think I have some in the medicine cabinet." He fumbled around and grabbed both of the requested items. She softly took his hand again and gently cleansed the cut it in the sink. She noticed how masculine his hand was. This was the same hand he placed on her neck when he had kissed her, and the same hand that held her side when she was shot. She wondered what it would feel like to have his hand touch her again. She quickly pushed those thoughts aside and gently began bandaging it.

Her soft touch made it feel like his hand was on fire. He studied her as she concentrated on wrapping his hand. Kate was so beautiful. Maybe it was the way her chestnut hair hung in loose curls around her small face. Maybe it was the adorable way she furrowed her brows as she contemplated how to wrap his hand. And then he knew. She finished with his hand and looked up into his eyes. It was her eyes. They were an intense mixture of green and brown, with a deepness in them that he couldn't fathom. They were both mysterious and sad, and he couldn't help but wonder if there was passion hidden deep within their depths. _Untamed passion_. He instinctively leaned his head down to her earlobe, while trailing his fingers along her collarbone. His breath was hot on her neck. He lightly brushed his lips just below her earlobe and whispered, "Thank you."

Her gasp echoed through the room. She quickly pulled back. The unexpected contact shocked them both. She looked up, and the emotions in her alluring eyes left him spellbound. He started to wonder what it would be like to... "Are you hungry," he quickly spilled out.

She couldn't believe he just changed the subject. She hesitated and then said, "Sure." Oddly, she felt a little let down as she followed him back into the kitchen.

They both worked together to finish dinner. Rick cooked the pasta and added the sauce and the meatballs, while Kate put together the salad. Finally, they sat down and started eating. They were both careful to avoid talking about what happened in the bathroom.

Kate was the first one to speak. "So, we didn't come up with any concrete leads on the murder case. If you would have been there, maybe you could've seen something that we didn't."

"I had something to do," Rick murmered.

"Rick, I know why you left. You don't want to see me get hurt. I get that. But you need to understand that this is my job. The creep who killed this guy needs to be off the streets." Then she added softly, "I promise I'll be careful."

It didn't escape Rick's notice that she had used his first name. She rarely did that, and it made his breath catch in his throat. She also had made him a promise. Most importantly, she was letting him in. "I'm your partner. It's my job to have your back."

"You will. I'll be wearing a wire. You'll be close by watching and listening. If there's any sign of trouble, you and the boys will be right there."

"And you won't take any unecessary risks? You'll pull out if the stakes get too high?"

"I promise, but only if you promise to rescue me the way I rescued you when you were with the Russians," she smiled suggestively.

"No problem, but don't expect me to wear high heels," he smirked.

She smiled and hesitated before saying, "Are we okay?"

"Yeah, I think we are. I should clean up a bit before my mother and Alexis get home."

"I'll help." They started to straighten up the kitchen and put away their dishes. They didn't have much to say, as both were just content to be in each other's company, especially considering what had happened earlier that day.

Rick finished putting the rest of the dishes into the dishwasher. He stood up and turned slightly from being bent over. At the same time, Kate was walking past him and started to trip over his shoe. He caught her in his arms before she fell.

He heard her gasp and felt her body tensing. She felt his strong muscular arms envelope her. His arms made her feel safe and warm. The smell of his cologne surrounded her. She looked up at his tender blue eyes. She realized she could get lost in them. Then, she wondered...she innocently thought about what it would be like... Their faces were so close. She could feel his warm breath on her lips. It enticed her. If she moved her head just a little... Although she tried to stop herself, she brushed her lips lightly on his cheek. He caught her off guard when she felt his warm lips graze against her neck in return.

"Do you want me to kiss you, Kate?" he whispered, as he gently placed another kiss on her neck. A soft, small moan escaped from her lips. "Was that a yes?" She could feel his lips hesitate just above her chin, waiting for her reply. Her head was spinning out of control. "Say it," he commanded as his lips gently touched her chin. She couldn't say it. His lips moved closer to hers, and he playfully teased them by just barely touching his own lips to hers. "Say it," he commanded again, this time in a more husky voice. She knew if she didn't get out of his arms soon, she would say it. She yearned to taste his lips on her own, but the practical side of her brain told her to run, and she was trained to listen to the practical side of her brain.

They both heard voices, and the door to the loft opened. Kate jumped out of Rick's arms and took off out the door. Martha and Alexis just stood there as Kate buzzed past them in a whirlwind.

And Rick was left there standing...

**So, our duo is finally starting to take small steps towards each other. I promise that the next chapter will find them even closer. The song for this chapter was "Bleed" by Hot Chelle Rae. I believe there is a Castle video of it on YouTube. Thanks for reading! **

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters. **


	5. Just A Kiss

_Previously…_

_"Do you want me to kiss you, Kate?" he whispered, as he gently placed another kiss on her neck. A soft, small moan escaped from her lips. "Was that a yes?" She could feel his lips hesitate just above her chin, waiting for her reply. Her head was spinning out of control. "Say it," he commanded as his lips gently touched her chin. She couldn't say it. His lips moved closer to hers, and he playfully teased them by just barely touching his own lips to hers. "Say it," he commanded again, this time in a more husky voice. She knew if she didn't get out of his arms soon, she would say it. She yearned to taste his lips on her own, but the practical side of her brain told her to run, and she was trained to listen to the practical side of her brain._

_They both heard voices, and the door to the loft opened. Kate jumped out of Rick's arms and took off out the door. Martha and Alexis just stood there as Kate buzzed past them in a whirlwind._

_And Rick was left there standing..._

_**The next day (9 days before the prologue)…**_

Kate stared at the murder board and thought. She thought about Andrew McGee's gruesome murder. She thought about the lack of strong leads. She thought about being undercover later that evening. She thought about how uneasy that made her feel. She thought about bandaging Castle's hand the night before. When she had looked into his piercing blue eyes, they were both tender and captivating. She wasn't expecting him to brush his lips close to her earlobe and whisper "Thank you." It had caught her off guard and strangely made her yearn for something more…until he completely changed the subject and asked her if she was hungry. Oh, she was hungry alright, but just not in the way he was meaning. For even though she had her own walls, it bothered her that every time they started to get close, he changed the subject. For instance, at the _Heat Wave _book launch party, he called her extraordinary, and then he changed the subject to the case they were working on. Why did he do that? Probably because the playboy in him liked to play with fire, but was afraid of getting burnt. She knew that he liked to play games. However, it wouldn't do to have his muse end up as another notch on his bedpost, not when he had more books to write, more crimes to solve. Sometimes, she just got so tired of only being seen as his "research" and his "muse." In her heart, she knew he didn't really mean "I love you" in a passionate way when she got shot. She was dying in his arms, and the situation was intense. She figured it would be best if she conveniently didn't remember. It let him off the hook, so he didn't have to feel obligated and she didn't have to feel awkward. Those thoughts brought up even more unsettling thoughts. She remembered how safe and warm she had felt in Castle's arms when he caught her in the kitchen. What would it have felt like… What if she had said yes? God knows, she was on the verge of doing just that when they were interrupted. How far would the playboy in him go? How far would he continue in this unspoken game? Somebody should teach Richard Castle a lesson: You shouldn't play with fire.

"Penny for your thoughts," Castle whispered into her ear over her shoulder.

Kate jumped, "Remind me to buy you a bell for your collar."

Rick smirked and replied in a husky voice, "Are you saying that I'm your pet?"

Kate responded sweetly, "If I say yes, does that mean I can put you on a leash?"

"Only if you promise to pet me behind the ears." he smiled.

Two could play this game. Kate grabbed his shirt, gently pulled him close to her face, smiled, and seductively whispered, "Or you could lie on your back, and I could rub your belly." As she let go of his shirt and moved away, she let her finger slide down the front of his shirt towards his belly.

"Katherine Beckett, you have a dirty mind," he smiled and stared at her with hungry eyes.

Kate didn't fail to notice the intensity in his piercing blue eyes when she arrogantly replied, "And you have my coffee. By the way, you can put it and the penny you owe me on my desk."

"Am I interrupting something?" Esposito smiled.

"No/Yes!" Kate and Rick said at the same time.

Espositio shook his head, smirked, and looked at them for a moment before he continued, "I think we might have a small lead, but I'm pretty sure it's not reliable. Ryan talked to this homeless guy who could've seen something. It's just that his story is sorta…"

"What?" asked Kate impatiently.

"Odd. He says he was walking by the alleyway that our vic was murdered in. He heard a strange sound and stopped to see what it was. He supposedly saw a tall, black dark figure with, get this, a metal clawed hand. He said the man looked at our vic and killed him with only a stare from his eyes. After that, the figure leaned over him and pulled his heart out with his claw. Scared the hell outta the homeless guy so bad that he said he lost control of all bodily functions. He said he didn't think the black figure saw him, so he ran," Esposito paused. Then he added, "He said he ran before the demon saw him and tried to eat him too. He was probably drunk, so who knows if anything he said can be helpful."

Rick's eyes got big and he said, "Cool. Bloodthirsty demons stalking the streets of New York by night."

Kate was just about to reply with a sarcastic comeback when her phone rang. She picked it up. "Hey Lanie. Okay. I'm going to put you on speakerphone." Ryan walked over to Kate's desk to listen.

I've got some more information for you that I hope will be helpful. I heard you guys were at a loss for any strong leads. I can tell you that your vic died from his right carotid artery being severed. He only lived for a couple of minutes afterwards. A clean direct cut severed the carotid artery. It looks almost as if a metal spike did it. I'm going to test his neck for any signs of metal residue. Other than that, I couldn't find any visible signs of a struggle. His hands and heart were removed after he was dead. His hands look to be cut off by a sharp blade, but his heart is a different story. It almost looks like it was clawed out of his chest. The rest of the body seems to be pretty clean. If I find anything else, I'll call you guys. Window of death remains the same."

Rick spoke up, "Any signs of a sexual assault?"

Kate flashed him a dirty look.

"I don't wanna ask why, but no there wasn't, Castle," Lanie answered.

"Thanks Lanie. We'll talk later," Kate replied and hung up. "This case just keeps on getting more bizarre." She stared absentmindly at the murder board.

Rick chimed in, "Have you ever heard of Reevers?"

Esposito and Ryan stared at him. Kate cringed, but she played along. "Okay, Castle. What are Reevers?"

"Reevers are cannibalistic savages. They're sort of like the Comanche in the old movies. They have no concept of humanity and function like pirate serial killers. They rape, kill, and sew your skin into their clothing. If you're lucky, they do it in that order. Their weapon of choice is long, lance-like metal rods. They were in a tv show I watched a few years ago."

As usual, Ryan was intrigued by Castle's story.

"Castle, I don't want to burst your bubble, but I can guarantee you that a Reever did not kill our vic. This murder was drug-related. Believe me, there is an explanation for everything. I just wish I could find something to pin this murder on Collins. The sooner, the better."

"Well, maybe we'll find something tonight," Ryan added, while still contemplating the possibility of Reevers.

"Talking about tonight. We'll be parked in an unmarked van about a block down the street. Beckett, you arrive there at 10PM with wires on. Be careful, but see what you can find out. We need to get this creep off the streets. If anything happens, we'll have your back," Esposito remarked.

Just then, Castle's phone rang. Beckett noticed the _Firefly_ ringtone and smiled.

"Hi Alexis. What's up? Okay. I'll be there as soon as I can." Castle got up to leave the precinct. "I've got to pick Alexis up from the library. Too many books to carry. I'll see you guys tonight."

Kate watched him leave and wondered what she ever did to deserve such a strange partner.

A few hours later, Rick was on his way to the unmarked van. As he drove, he was lost in his own thoughts. His hand was feeling much better, even though he was sure that had more to do with Kate bandaging it than with the actual injury. He couldn't believe how he let himself get lost in her eyes the previous night. Then, he almost kissed her in the kitchen. It was almost as if he couldn't help himself. First, she made him that promise. Second, she smelled like cherries. Finally, she kissed his cheek so softly that it melted his heart. He knew there was always a lot of unresolved sexual tension between them, but unresolved is the way he meant to keep it. Even though, she might flirt with him like she did at the precinct today, he knew Kate wasn't ready for him to be anything more than her partner. He remembered how she shut him out after she was shot, and how she shut down and ran out the night before. He didn't want to do something that she would regret later. Even though he told her he loved her when she was shot, she didn't remember, and it really didn't matter because she wasn't ready. Hell, he wasn't even sure what he felt anymore. He thought he loved Meredith and Gina, but he was wrong on both counts. It was just too risky. He had a history of two failed marriages, and he didn't want to think of losing Kate as either his partner or his friend. Sure, he had Alexis, but he didn't realize how empty his life had been before he met Kate. No, he would have to be more careful not to let her get to him like she did last night. He couldn't lose her. Of course, that didn't mean he couldn't tease her and get her all flustered. He loved to ruffle Kate Beckett's feathers.

He inconspicuously entered the van. It was parked a couple of blocks away from Silhouette. Esposito and Ryan were already on the job and monitoring the activity in the nightclub. Somehow, they had managed to place a hidden camera near the bar. Rick looked on the monitor. Her image burned into his brain. She was standing by the bar. She was wearing a short, red strapless dress with red high heels to match. Her hair was down and in soft curls around her shoulders. She was totally captivating and gorgeous. It was as if she had pulled his fantasy of her from his brain and recreated it in reality. Esposito must have seen the look on his face because he said, "Don't worry bro. We got our eyes on her."

Two hours later, Rick's eyes remained glued to the monitor. Kate had scoped out the nightclub, but nothing seemed out of the ordinary. She finally made her way back to the bar and sat there for most of the rest of the evening. She had a few casual conversations that didn't go anywhere, and a few guys hit on her. Rick was relieved to see how easily Kate brushed them off. After another hour passed, she got up and left the nightclub. Maybe their luck would change tomorrow.

Unbeknownst to all of them, Victor Collins also had a few hidden cameras in the nightclub. His attention immediately focused on the alluring woman in the red dress at the bar. She had class and sophistication and was not impressed by the men that flirted with her. She disregarded them like they were old playthings that she didn't want or need. She seemed oddly familiar. He needed to find out more about her. He had to meet her himself…and he would…in time.

When Kate got outside of the nightclub, she spoke via her wire to tell them she was going home and would see them at the precinct tomorrow.

As Rick started for home, he realized Kate really hadn't eaten much of anything all day. Alexis wouldn't be home for a few hours, so he reasoned that taking a pizza over to her apartment would be a good idea. He couldn't let his detective go hungry. He stopped at his favorite Italian restaurant and picked up a pizza and a good bottle of wine. Ten minutes later, he was knocking at Kate's door.

When she got home, she changed out of her dress and put on some comfortable jeans and a t-shirt. She was glad to be away from that nightclub. She didn't exactly feel safe there, even though the guys had her back. After she made herself comfortable on the couch and was watching the Knicks on tv, she heard a knock at her door. She looked through the peephole. It was Castle with pizza. Yum. She opened the door and smiled at him.

"Can I come in? Alexis will be out for awhile, and both of us really didn't get to eat today, so I thought we could share this pizza."

She noticed he brought a good bottle of wine as well. She invited him in and got plates. He sat down on the couch. "Hey, you're watching the Knicks. I wanted to catch this game. Do you mind?"

"No problem, Castle. They're my favorite team. And by the way, thanks for the pizza."

They sat there together on the couch for over an hour, watching the game and eating pizza. He noticed she had changed out of that dress. He was thankful because he didn't need that kind of a distraction. He watched her on and off as the game progressed. She got so excited when her team made a basket or blocked a shot. As she cheered her team on, her eyes danced with passion and excitement. Finally, with 10 seconds left on the clock, the Knicks made a long shot and won the game. Without warning, Kate yelled and reached over and hugged Rick in her excitement. She knocked him off balance, and he fell back against the couch with her on top of him. She smelled so very good, just like cherries. He curved his arm around her waist and looked at her face. She had a smudge of pizza sauce on the corner of her curved mouth. Gently, he reached up and wiped the sauce off with his finger. He looked into her eyes and started to get lost in them all over again. Her long lashes blinked as her hazel eyes burned into him like the embers of a slow-smoldering fire. His heart twisted with longing, but he remembered his earlier thoughts in his car that evening.

He quickly broke away from her, and she almost fell on the floor. "I better take these plates out to the kitchen and help you clean up a bit. It's getting late."

Kate couldn't quite believe it. He did it again. He changed the subject. Who did he think he was to keep jerking her around like this? Why didn't he want her? She didn't consider herself to be unattractive. Oh, she forgot. She wasn't a woman to him; she was only research, his muse. Well, he shouldn't _play_ with his research. It was time Richard Castle got burnt.

She purposely got up and turned off the tv. She turned on the stereo and made her way carefully into the kitchen. He was cleaning up. She would wait until the right moment. It would come.

"Rick, if it isn't too much to ask, can you write down your recipe for that spaghetti sauce last night? It was really good, and I'd like to try to make it sometime."

He looked up at her immediately when she called him by his first name. "Sure. Just get me something to write on."

She grabbed some paper and a pen. As she handed it to him, he noticed the burn on her hand from the coffee from the previous day. "What happened?" he questioned her.

"Let's just say I had a run-in with an angry espresso machine," she mysteriously smiled.

He gently rubbed circles into her hand where the burn was. "You should really put some cream on this." She felt her stomach flutter at his touch as she realized the right moment had arrived.

She looked up into his eyes and noticed a confused longing there. She tenderly reached up with one hand and ran her fingers through his hair. The smell of him enveloped her as she softly pressed herself into him and backed him into the counter. Her senses became heightened, and she noticed the song playing on the radio…

_Lying here with you so close to me  
>It's hard to fight these feelings<br>when it feels so hard to breathe  
>Caught up in this moment<br>Caught up in your smile…_

As she heard the words, she melted into his arms. She wouldn't regret this now. She felt shaky with longing as she continued to gaze into his deep blue eyes. She moved her face closer to his, and he felt her breath bounce off his lips, as he looked into her soulful eyes and she said one word: "Yes."

He wrestled with himself all the way up until he heard her say that one word. That's when he lost all control. He tilted her chin up and felt her tremble as he pulled her closer to him.

"Do you want me to kiss you, Kate?" he whispered hoarsely over her lips. He noticed the longing in her eyes as she quietly said, "Yes." He didn't rush. He held back a little to make sure. He barely brushed her lips against his own. They were soft like rose petals. He felt her tremble. He wanted more, needed more. Her lips beckoned to him, and he bent his head and covered them. He knew he should stop, but he couldn't. He needed to taste her, just this once. He pulled back just a little and she slowly traced his lower lip with her tongue. Her lips were so dangerous and tempting. She parted her lips, and he ventured in. He lost himself completely in her taste, in her smell. Wherever he dared to go, she followed. Whatever he gave, she gave back. The kiss was all consuming.

_Just a kiss on your lips in the moonlight  
>Just a touch of the fire burning so bright<br>I don't want to mess this thing up  
>I don't want to push too far<br>Just a shot in the dark that you just might  
>be the one I've been waiting for my whole life<br>So baby I'm alright with just a kiss goodnight…_

Somewhere in his head, the last words of the song echoed. He had to stop this now. He wouldn't have her regret this. He pulled away. "Kate, I gotta go," he said huskily. He ever so gently placed a kiss on her forehead and said "Goodnight." Then, he walked out the door.

She just stood there, breathless and somewhat confused. She had succeeded: She had burnt Richard Castle. However, in the process, she had also burnt herself.

**Sorry I haven't updated for awhile. I've had bronchitis and been very busy. I want to thank my daughter, Rachelle, for helping me in this chapter when I had writer's block. She was a Godsend. **

**Artemisbeloved-You inspired me to update this week. Don't worry, I plan to finish this.**

**purplangel-I hope this chapter leaves you just as hot and bothered as before-lol**

**Rosie85-I guess Rick is running now, but at least they got that kiss!**

**MHoles-I hope I ended your torture somewhat, although I'm sure there's more to come. I plan to have a lot of fun with Victor, but I promise not to destroy Caskett.**

**Juliettaah-I promise not to leave them at odds forever, but I hope this makes it a little better. These two have a lot of issues to deal with. I've decided to write them the way I envision them, since they're not progressing much on the show, and I'm getting inpatient. **

**The song for this chapter was "Just a Kiss" by Lady Antebellum.**

**Thanks to everyone else who is reviewing and reading. Please keep it up! Hope you enjoy the occasional Firefly reference.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters.**


	6. Alone With You

_Previously…_

_Somewhere in his head, the last words of the song echoed. He had to stop this now. He wouldn't have her regret this. He pulled away. "Kate, I gotta go," he said huskily. He ever so gently placed a kiss on her forehead and said "Goodnight." Then, he walked out the door._

_She just stood there, breathless and somewhat confused. She had succeeded: She had burnt Richard Castle. However, in the process, she had also burnt herself._

_**The next day (8 days before the prologue)…**_

Detective Kate Beckett's word for the day was **FRUSTRATION**. After Rick left, she tossed and turned for most of the night. When she was able to sleep, dreams of the kiss would slowly seep into her brain and consume her with fierce longing. She took a cold shower and decided to go into the precinct early. When she got there, she decided to make use of the extra time in the gym. As she ambushed a punching bag, her mind betrayed her by reflecting on Richard Castle. Last night was the second time he rattled her chains and left her standing alone. It frustrated her to her core. What the hell got into her last night anyway? All she knew was she had an all-consuming desire to explore the unknown. He was always pushing her, and she needed to know what he would do if she pushed back for once. The fact remained that he pulled back and left, which sent a clear message: He didn't want to cross that line with _her_. In other words, he needed _her_ to remain his "_muse_." Why did that bother her so much? Then, there was the kiss. She had never been kissed that way, so carefully but forcefully, and with so much unspoken passion. The kiss was addicting, like a drug her body craved. She didn't understand why she couldn't just turn off her brain. Hell, she had walls. Why weren't those walls working? **FRUSTRATION**. Kate finally took another cold shower to dull her senses and apprehensively made her way downstairs to work.

As she walked to her desk, she saw Castle sitting in his chair, nervously tapping his foot and fiddling with his cell phone. As she sat down, he remained preoccupied with his phone. He didn't look up at her. Instead, he said, "Got you a coffee. Donuts are in the box."

"Thanks," she replied casually.

Apparently, he was going to ignore what happened between them. Well, fine. Two could play that game. She disregarded him and focused on reading her messages. As she read, she inadvertently reached for a donut. At the same time, Rick also unintentionally reached for a donut. They both tried to grab the same bearclaw, and their fingers touched. The contact was electrifying. They pulled back their hands immediately. Rick seemed flustered, and Kate fought to seem unaffected.

Esposito chuckled and walked up to her desk. "Since you guys don't want that donut, I don't mind if I do."

"Hey...," Rick countered, "I was going to eat that."

"You snooze, you lose, bro. Hey, Beckett. We did a background check on our vic. Turns out he has an older sister, Tracy Rochester. Lives in Philadelphia. We called her, and she's gonna come in and id the body. We also got an address on our vic and canvassed his apartment. Found something real interesting. You're gonna love this."

Rick interrupted, "Another victim?"

"No."

"Apartment ransacked?"

"No."

"A _demon_?"

"Castle, shut up," Beckett rolled her eyes.

"We found a large knife stuck in the outside of the apartment door with blood all over it. Lanie tested it, and it's definitely our vic's blood. She believes it was used to cut off his hands. It was negative for any prints." Esposito looked at Kate, who seemed overly frustrated. "Well, I'm waiting."

"Waiting for what?" she remarked dryly.

"Say it, Beckett."

Kate's eyes got wide, and her mouth gaped open. Rick choked and coffee spewed out of his mouth. Kate glared at Rick, and then she glared at Esposito. "Say what?" she hissed.

"Hey, I don't know what's going on here, but I didn't do it. I was just waiting for you to say that you're starting to hate this case as much as everybody else is."

"Yeah, whatever. Tell me if you find anything else. By the way, check his financials…and recheck his apartment."

Esposito shrugged and walked away. "Whatever you say, boss."

Rick's phone rang, and he answered it. "Okay. I'm sorry. I forgot. I'll be right there." He hung up the phone and apprehensively glanced at Kate. "I have to go. I'll be there tonight." Before she knew it, he was in the elevator and gone.

Was she imagining it, or was he ignoring her? Surely, he didn't tell Esposito what happened between them? If he did, she would kill him. She would torture him first though. And she knew how to hide a body. **FRUSTRATION**.

For the second time, Rick's thoughts wandered to Kate as he drove to the unmarked van again. God knows, he didn't get any sleep the night before. He finally got up early and took Alexis out for breakfast and some father-daughter time. Thoughts of Kate tormented him. She was like the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden. Just one taste of her, and he was doomed. He couldn't lose her as his partner and his friend. Hell, when had she become his best friend? Last night's kiss definitely put their other kiss completely to shame. No other woman had ever kissed him like that. He didn't mean to kiss her, but she got to him. Her beautiful eyes seemed to plead with him, and then she said "Yes." He couldn't help himself. He knew she wasn't ready, so he pulled away. He didn't know how she would act at the precinct, so he decided to keep quiet and lie low. He couldn't believe Esposito said those words. The way Kate glared at him sent shivers up his spine. Even though he never told Esposito what happened between them, he was thankful for the opportunity to escape the precinct earlier. Bless Alexis for needing to be picked up at the library again.

Esposito and Ryan greeted him as he entered the unmarked van. Kate was sitting at the bar again. He noticed she was wearing a provocative emerald green dress that hugged her curves and accentuated the exposed bare skin at her waist. She looked extraordinary. He also noticed she looked somewhat agitated. He took his place next to the monitor.

Kate sat at the bar and waited. She was still frustrated, and she was getting tired of this case. As she impatiently tapped her fingers on the bar, the bartender approached her with a bottle of wine. "The management would like the lady to have this bottle of 1978 Montrachet."

Kate quickly snapped out of her previous trance and said in a sultry voice, "And just why would the management want _me_ to have this bottle of wine?"

"The management says such an extraordinary woman is deserving of an extraordinary wine."

"And just how extraordinary is this wine?"

"$24,000 a bottle. Enjoy." He popped the cork and poured her a glass.

"Why doesn't the management join me?"

"The management has other obligations this evening. If there is anything the lady needs, please do not hesitate."

Kate couldn't believe it: A $24,000 bottle of wine! Castle would be so jealous. Hmm…Castle _would be_ jealous. Then it hit her. She would kill two birds with one stone. This was the perfect way to ease her frustration and make Castle, the root of her frustration, suffer. She would have this bottle of wine, and she would enjoy it. She reasoned that she was _only_ doing her job. Wasn't she supposed to be a rich party girl? Kate smiled and tried a sip. It was absolutely the most delicious wine she ever tasted. It was even better than the bottle Castle shared at the Old Haunt. She finished the glass, and the bartender poured her another. As she watched the people dance, laugh, and mingle, she drank another glass. Then she drank another, and she drank one more. She started to feel warm, free, and relaxed. The frustration she felt melted away. She took her glass and made her way to the dance floor. There was a band, and they were playing one of her favorite songs.

_I'm feelin sexy  
>I wanna hear you say my name boy<br>If you can reach me  
>You can feel my burning flame<em>

_I'm feelin kind of n-a-s-t-y_  
><em>I might just take you home with me<em>  
><em>Baby the minute I feel your energy<em>  
><em>Your vibe's just taken over me<em>  
><em>Start feelin so crazy babe<em>  
><em>I feel the funk coming over me<em>  
><em>I don't know what's gotten into me<em>  
><em>The rhythm's got me feelin so crazy babe<em>

_Tonight I'll be your naughty girl_  
><em>I'm callin all my girls<em>  
><em>We're gonna turn this party out<em>  
><em>I know you want my body<em>  
><em>Tonight I'll be your naughty girl<em>  
><em>I'm callin all my girls<em>  
><em>I see you look me up and down<em>  
><em>And I came to party…<em>

As she got caught up in the music, she started dancing and moving her hips provocatively. She felt so uninhibited. As she moved, she suggestively ran her hands through her hair and down her body. She felt so good, so carefree. She continued to dance until she felt a very large male presence slide up against her. She did not want to be interrupted, so she pulled away from him. He wouldn't get the hint and kept putting his arm around her waist and pressing up against her. Enough was enough. She grabbed his arm and twisted it behind his back. "Get lost," she whispered in his ear. He grimaced in pain and left the dance floor. She looked down at her glass. It was almost empty. She sauntered back to the bar and discovered the bottle was empty. She swallowed the rest of the wine in the glass and left the nightclub. Before she left, she caught the bartender's attention. "Tell the management I said thank you."

Victor was watching her on his own cameras and mouthed, "You're so very welcome, Detective Kate Beckett." Richard Castle's book dedication had descibed her as extraordinary. She certainly was. She was also beautiful and quite dangerous. Common sense told him he should just kill her now and get it over with, but he wanted to meet her and experience her for himself. He wanted to play this wicked game with her. He watched her accept and drink his wine. He watched her dance. His wine made her uninhibited. Soon, Kate…soon.

Someone else was also watching her. Rick about fell off his chair when the bartender brought Kate a 1978 bottle of Montrachet. "Montrachet! That's over $20,000 a bottle! Management sure has expensive tastes."

Ryan laughed, "Settle down Castle. It's not like she's going to drink the whole bottle. Maybe she'll save some for you."

Rick got nervous. He wondered if "the management" was going to show up. He breathed a sigh of relief when he heard the management had other obligations. He just started to relax, when his journey to hell began. It was a courtesy for her to drink one glass. As he saw her taste the wine, his mouth watered. However, she didn't stop with one taste or even with one glass. She drank glass, after glass, after glass. Esposito and Ryan had a bet riding on how many glasses she would drink. He did not find that in the least bit funny.

"Lighten up, bro," Esposito commented.

He could tell she was getting drunk. "Maybe we better go in and get her. She's drunk."

"Relax, Castle. We've got our eyes on her. After her mood today, I'm not gonna go in there and piss her off. Maybe this will do her some good."

Ryan snickered, "Doesn't look like you're going to get any of that wine, Castle."

When she got up and danced, all three of their mouths dropped to the floor. Ryan glanced over at Esposito. "This never happened. I don't want to do paperwork for the rest of my life."

"You got it, bro. Hell, that woman can dance. Castle, you keep your mouth shut too. You hear me?"

"Yeah…yeah…" Rick stared into the monitor. He couldn't believe his eyes. The way she was moving her hips and running her hands through her hair and down her body was criminal. She was enchanting, and she was doing all sorts of naughty things to his body without even being here. When he saw some large man press up against her, he felt jealousy invade his senses. "That's my girl," he said when she twisted the idiot's arm.

Esposito and Ryan both laughed when they saw Kate twist the man's arm. "Bet he didn't see that coming," Espoisto smirked.

Ryan added, "Castle, it looks like she's leaving. You better go get her keys and make sure she gets home okay."

Rick left the van and intercepted Kate just before she got into her car.

"Hey Castle. I drank wine. It was really, really good."

"I know. I saw."

Kate giggled. "I danced. I twisted some guy's arm too."

"I saw that too. You're quite the badass. Now, how about I take you home?"

"You want to put me to bed?"

He noticed she was slurring her words. He had to remain in control. This definitely wasn't going to be easy. "Kate, I need your keys."

"Come and get them." She put them down the front of her dress and smiled seductively at him.

"C'mon Kate. We got to get out of here before anyone sees us."

She didn't budge.

"I'm sorry, but you leave me no choice." He snaked his arm around her waist and pulled her close. She gasped as his hand gently traced down her neck and brushed against the lacy outer edges of her bra. Her keys were caught in the front of her bra, and he carefully pulled them out. In doing so, his thumb discovered her scar. He caressed it softly for just a moment, and then he removed his hand. He needed to get them in the car and out of there rather quickly. "Kate, get in the car." She pouted a little, but she did as she was told.

On the way to her apartment, she resorted back to her former drunken self and couldn't seem to keep her hands to herself. She ran her hand up and down his thigh, and she kissed his neck erotically. He had a hard time focusing on the road. In a hoarse voice, he said, "Kate, you have to stop."

"Doesn't Ricky want to play with Kate?"

"You have no idea," he replied huskily. He reached over and turned on the radio.

_I don't see you laugh  
>You don't call me back<br>But you kiss me when you're drunk  
>I don't know your friends<br>Don't know where you've been  
>Why are you the one I want<em>

_Don't put your lips up to my mouth and tell me you can't stay_  
><em>Don't slip your hand under my shirt and tell me it's okay<em>  
><em>Don't say it doesn't matter cause it's gonna matter to me<em>  
><em>I can't be alone with<em>  
><em>You've got me out on the edge every time you call<em>  
><em>And i know it would kill me if I fall<em>  
><em>I can't be alone with you<em>

What was with these songs lately? After he turned on the radio, she became quiet and was almost asleep by the time they got to her apartment. He helped her out of the car, and she swayed next to him. He looked deeply into her eyes, picked her up, and carried her in his arms. She didn't protest. When they arrived at her apartment, he managed to open the door with her keys while she was still in his arms. He carried her into her bedroom and gently placed her in bed. He removed her high heels and massaged each foot for a few seconds. He carefully slid her under her blankets and leaned down to softly kiss her forehead. He noticed she was staring at him. Her eyes were watery, and a single tear escaped down her cheek. He gently caught it and rubbed it away with his thumb. He heart ached for her.

"What's wrong Kate?"

"I'm only a muse to you. You said you loved me, but you didn't mean it."

Rick couldn't believe what he heard. _She had remembered_. She had heard him. Why did she keep it from him? Now wasn't the time or place to find out. He knew one thing to be true: She was hurt because she thought he didn't love her. She also thought he only saw her as his "muse." So, even though he should have been angry, he felt his heart break a little as he watched another tear fall.

As he looked into her deep hazel eyes, he whispered, "I do care about you. You're so much more than just a muse to me. Why do I always seem to hurt you? Please don't cry Kate."

He wiped away another tear as she started to slip into sleep. When he was sure she was sleeping, he left her bedroom and returned with a glass of water, Alka Setzer, and a bottle of aspirin. He put them on her nightstand with a small note. He leaned down and placed a tender kiss on her lips. She looked so peaceful and so beautiful. He whispered in her ear, "I do love you Katie."

**Thanks for all the reviews! The songs in this chapter were "Naughty Girl" by Beyonce and "Alone With You" by Jake Owen. Next chapter, Kate will finally meet Victor face to face. Hope everyone enjoys this chapter!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Castle characters or the songs.**


	7. Smile

_Previously…_

_Rick couldn't believe what he heard. __She had remembered__. She had heard him. Why did she keep it from him? Now wasn't the time or place to find out. He knew one thing to be true: She was hurt because she thought he didn't love her. She also thought he only saw her as his "muse." So, even though he should have been angry, he felt his heart break a little as he watched another tear fall._

_As he looked into her deep hazel eyes, he whispered, "I do care about you. You're so much more than just a muse to me. Why do I always seem to hurt you? Please don't cry Kate."_

_He wiped away another tear as she started to slip into sleep. When he was sure she was sleeping, he left her bedroom and returned with a glass of water, Alka Setzer, and a bottle of aspirin. He put them on her nightstand with a small note. He leaned down and placed a tender kiss on her lips. She looked so peaceful and so beautiful. He whispered in her ear, "I do love you Katie."_

_**The next day (7 days before the prologue)…**_

Martha walked down the stairs of the loft and found her son in the kitchen seriously mulling over a cup of coffee. He looked like he hadn't slept well. "Richard, you look like you've got the weight of the world on your shoulders."

Rick slowly glanced up at his mother, "Yeah, you could say that."

Martha poured herself a cup of coffee, grabbed a bagel with some cream cheese, and finally sat next to him. "So, what seems to be the problem?"

He took a sip of his coffee, pondered a moment, and then said, "Why do members of the female persuasion have to be so damned frustrating?"

"Oh, so this is about Detective Beckett, I presume?"

"Mother, I don't get it. You know that I told her how I felt when she was shot, and then she told me she didn't remember?"

"Yes, go on."

"Well, she had a little too much wine to drink while she was undercover last night, and I drove her home. Turns out she did remember what I said after all. She let it slip. She said she didn't think I meant it. Mumbled something about how she's only a muse to me. Then, she fell asleep. I guess I already sort of knew she remembered, but I didn't want to admit it to myself."

Martha raised her eyebrows and stirred her coffee a couple of times. "So, now what?"

Rick sighed, "I'm certainly not happy she lied all this time, and I'm also not overly thrilled that she doesn't think I meant it. What bothers me more is the fact she thinks I only see her as a muse."

Martha smiled and placed one of her hands over his, "Richard, I'm going to give you some advice. First, when a man tells a woman he loves her, she wants it to be special and memorable. Confessing such feelings in the heat of a crisis situation isn't ideal. Some might even go as far as to say she might wonder if the confession was only brought on by the fact that you thought you might never see her again. And, Richard, don't forget that you haven't really followed up on your little confession since then…"

Rick smirked, "She's the one who told me she wouldn't be able to have a meaningful relationship until her mother's case was put to rest."

Martha shook her head, "And that puts you back to square one because of your own omission. I wouldn't want to be you, kiddo. All I can tell you is that if two people really care for each other, love will find a way. But, Richard, you can't let her think that you only see her as a muse. We both know that's not true. You have to talk to her."

Rick finished his coffee. "That's just what I plan to do, but first, I've got to see Alexis before I go to the precinct. I probably won't be home until late."

"That's okay. I have appointments all day at the theater, and I believe Alexis is going to stay with Paige tonight. Oh, and by the way, good luck with the talk or whatever."

"Thanks mother. I have a feeling I'm going to need it." Rick got up and went upstairs to see Alexis and put his brilliant plan into motion.

As bright sunlight filtered through the blinds in her bedroom, Kate finally woke up. She felt absolutely horrible. Her head painfully ached. Her stomach was upset, and she felt nauseated. Worse yet, she overslept and was going to be late for work. She looked over at her nightstand and saw Alka Seltzer, a bottle of aspirin, and a glass of water. She knew she wouldn't be able to keep down the Alka Setzer, so she quickly took two aspirin instead. That's when she saw the note:

_We need to talk. _

_-Rick_

She noticed she was in her bed, fully clothed. Then, she recalled the $24,000 bottle of wine and how much she had to drink. The last thing she remembered was how good it felt to let loose and dance. Castle must have driven her home, and apparently, he had helped her into bed. She was impressed that he didn't take advantage of the situation. Instead, it seemed he played the part of "gentleman." She was relieved because the last thing she wanted was a one-night stand with Richard Castle. What did he want to talk about? She cringed and hoped she didn't do anything stupid when she was drunk. She couldn't wait for this case to be over.

About an hour later, she made it to the elevator at the precinct. It had been an awful morning. She almost vomited once at her apartment and decided it would be best to avoid all food and drink. She tried to hide the dark circles under her eyes with make-up and was thankful when she found her sunglasses on her dresser. Her headache was a little better, but the dull throb was still there, and any light made it worse.

She got off the elevator and quietly went directly to her desk and plopped down. She knew Ryan and Esposito probably saw her dance and were aware that she drank too much the night before. She was in no mood to be teased. She also wasn't in the mood to talk to Castle. She just wanted this day to be over so she could just go home and collapse. She didn't notice the coffee at her desk until it was too late. The aroma of the fresh-brewed coffee sent her stomach completely over the edge. She abruptly got up and made a mad dash to the bathroom.

From across the bullpen, Rick saw Kate get off the elevator. He smiled when he saw she was wearing sunglasses. Kate was definitely experiencing a hangover, and if he could wager a guess, not a very pleasant one. Just as he decided to go join her, he watched as she bolted to the bathroom with her hand over her mouth. Guess the coffee really wasn't such a good idea after all. As he leaned against the wall outside the bathroom and heard her forcefully heave again and again, he couldn't help but feel guilty. He was pretty sure he was the root cause for why she drank an entire bottle of $24,000 wine the night before. She was undercover, and he couldn't risk her being careless again because she was upset about his feelings for her. Just a couple days ago, he promised her he would have her back. He needed to fix this.

Kate had experienced hangovers before, but none as bad as this. Maybe $24,000 bottles of wine packed more of a punch. After she got done vomiting, she made herself a mental note to never drink wine like that again. She rinsed her mouth out with water and splashed some on her face as well. As she was leaving the bathroom, she was surprised to find Castle waiting for her outside. They started walking towards her desk.

"Hey, are you okay?" Rick noticed Kate looked somewhat pale and quite miserable.

"What do you think, Castle?"

"I think someone might have had a little too much expensive wine to drink last night," he smiled.

"And I think someone just needs to be...quiet," Kate said as she glared at Rick. "You're making my head hurt."

Rick grinned and lowered his voice, "What exactly do you remember about last night, Detective Beckett?"

Kate glanced downward and looked uncomfortable, "The last thing I remember is being in the nightclub."

He smirked, "Oh yeah...I remember that too. An awful lot of naughty, and an awful lot of dancing." His eyes slid up and down her body.

Kate rolled her eyes, "Just because I feel like crap doesn't mean I can't hurt you, Castle."

Rick paused, "Do you remember anything else?"

Kate rubbed both of her hands over her forehead. "No, everything else is just a blur," she paused, "By the way, thanks for taking me home and for not taking advantage of the situation."

Rick raised his eyebrows, "How do you know you didn't take advantage of _me_, dear detective?"

Kate's mouth gaped open, "Castle...I...uh… Let's go back and recheck the vic's apartment. Maybe CSU missed something." Kate picked up her coat and headed for the elevator. She still felt miserable, but she had a case to solve.

About a half hour later, they arrived at McGee's apartment. Kate insisted on driving, even though she wore her sunglasses the entire time, and he could see her wincing in pain from her headache every now and then. They carefully entered the apartment and started searching for clues.

"What exactly are we looking for?" Rick asked.

"Anything that looks out of place. I'm probably grasping for straws here, but you never know."

Kate opened the refrigerator, and the smell of raw, rotten chicken overtook her. She quickly turned and started to vomit in the kitchen trashcan. Rick was across the room, heard her vomiting, and thought, 'Oh no, not again.' He rushed into the kitchen and gently held her hair back while she continued to have dry heaves. When she was finished, she hesitated a moment, and then she turned around, "Thanks, Rick. I guess I shouldn't have opened the refrigerator." She swayed a little, and Rick caught her arm and steadied her.

Rick hesitated, "Do you think you're able to go to the nightclub tonight?"

"I have to. I need to put this case to rest."

"Well then, you need to go home and at least take it easy for a couple of hours. As a matter of fact, I was planning on whisking you away to my place for some homemade chicken noodle soup after the nightclub."

"Castle, I don't think so. I just want to go home after the nightclub and forget this day ever happened."

"C'mon...please...for me?" Rick's eyes silently pleaded with her, as he gave her his most pathetic look.

"I know I'm going to regret this, but we'll see how it goes."

"Yes!" Rick pumped his fist in a victorious gesture. "Now, let's go home."

"First, let's look around a little more."

They both started searching the apartment again. Kate noticed a wooden tile calendar on the wall that was hanging a little crooked. She looked behind the calendar and noticed that part of the drywall had been cut out and replaced again. She carefully pulled out the piece of drywall and noticed a leather bag. "Castle, look what I found."

Rick came over as Kate was opening the bag. The bag was completely full of $100 bills. "There must be over $100,000 dollars in there," Rick commented.

"I think we just found our motive."

Later that day, Rick found himself driving to the unmarked van again. He was disappointed that Kate didn't remember confessing her secret, but he would never call her out on it. No, there was a reason she was keeping this to herself. He didn't know if it was because she thought he only considered her to be his muse or if it was because his confession came at the worst possible moment. Of course, there was always the possibility she didn't feel the same way. He cringed at that thought. No, he wouldn't think about that. She was coming home with him tonight, and if his plan worked, maybe her wall would start to crumble.

Kate sat at the bar again. She wore a flirty red dress that dipped down in a v-neck. She was feeling somewhat better, and she already decided she would not be drinking an entire bottle of wine tonight. She was determined. She planned to try to infiltrate the nightclub or at least question the bartender. Just as she was deciding on her next move, she felt a hand gently touch the small of her back briefly. A man with dark green eyes, short brown wavy hair, and a five o'clock shadow sat next to her. He wore a blue button-down shirt and black jeans. He was slim and muscular, and Kate thought he looked a lot like that actor in _Phantom of the Opera_. He smiled at her and extended his hand, "Hello, I'm Victor Collins. I heard you enjoyed my taste in wine." She noticed he had a Mediterranean accent.

Kate was slightly taken by surprise, but she kept her head and engaged in the game with him. "If you're talking about the bottle of wine last night, then yes, I suppose I did. So, I take it you own this nightclub?"

"Correct. You know, you are quite a captivating woman. I had business to attend to last night, but I couldn't pass up the opportunity to spoil such a beautiful woman. I'm sorry, but I didn't get your name."

"Nikki. Nikki Reynolds," she smiled, "And do you always charm your women and offer them $24,000 bottles of wine?"

Victor stared deep into her eyes without blinking and leaned his face close to hers, "No, Nikki, I do not, and I would never consider you to be one of _my _women. You are definitely no man's possession. You're far too intelligent for that. Plus, I am a very busy man and do not have time for meaningless affairs."

Kate pulled back a little. "So, does that mean I get the unofficial tour of this place and get to see what goes on behind closed doors?"

Victor smirked, "In due time, my dear. But for tonight, I wanted to meet you and share a glass of my best wine with you."

Kate protested, "I can't...I mean..."

Victor looked pleased with himself and smiled seductively, "Don't underestimate me. I have already made provisions for the fact that you might have a bit of a hangover today. My bartender informed me you enjoyed my wine so much that you drank the entire bottle." Kate blushed, and Victor continued, "I have just the cure." He motioned to the bartender who brought over a bottle of wine, popped the cork, and poured them two glasses. "There's nothing like a $50,000 a bottle glass of wine to cure a hangover from a $24,000 bottle of wine. It's made from a special blend of grapes that should be most soothing to any hangover."

Even though Kate was hesitant, she sipped and then slowly began to drink the glass of wine. It was better than the wine from the previous night and did feel somewhat soothing.

The bartender interrupted, "Mr. Collins, you have a call."

Victor quickly took the phone call and returned to Kate's side when he was done. "I'm sorry, but business calls, and I have to go. Will you be here tomorrow night?"

"Yes, I suppose I could be persuaded to return for one more evening."

"Good. It was wonderful to meet you, Nikki." He gently brought the back of her hand to his mouth, kissed it, and then he was gone.

Victor immediately retreated to his office and watched while Kate finished her glass of wine and left. She intrigued him. It would be fun to play this cat-and-mouse game with such an intelligent homicide detective and alluring woman. It was quite unfortunate he had to slowly poison her wine while they played, but then it was also unfortunate that she had arrested one of his best distributors in LA for the murder of her former training officer, Mike Royce.

Rick paced while he watched the entire encounter on the monitor. Ryan and Esposito could tell he was jealous, but they both smirked and kept it to themselves.

"You didn't tell me Collins was a male Adonis," Rick muttered.

"Don't worry bro, Beckett knows what she's doing," remarked Esposito.

"Did you just hear her say her name is Nikki?"

"Do I detect a hint of jealousy?"

"No, but Nikki belongs in my books, not in that nightclub...with him."

Ryan laughed, "Dude, it looks like she's escaped. Rook's gonna be pissed."

"Oh, he is so not taking her behind closed doors."

"Chill bro, chill. We've got her back," Esposito said in a calming voice.

"We may have her back, but he's got her palate. He just gave her a $50,000 a bottle glass of wine to cure her hangover. Castle, you still here with us?" Everything got quiet, and Ryan thought for sure that Castle had passed out cold on the floor.

Castle's mouth gaped open in surprise, "Well, I never..."

Ryan interrupted and chuckled, "And unless you're _Nikki_, you never will."

For once Richard Castle had no comeback because he had been swallowed up and spit back out by jealousy.

Rick met Kate at her car. He skillfully persuaded her to accept his invitation to his loft for a bowl of homemade chicken noodle soup. She didn't offer much resistance because the soup sounded good after only eating a slice of toast earlier that day when she went home to rest. As they sat quietly at his table and finished enjoying the delicious soup, Kate finally noticed Martha and Alexis weren't there.

"Alexis is spending the night at Paige's house, and mother is most likely socializing somewhere. It's hard to tell when she'll be home," Rick remarked. "For now, I have something else planned." He got up, walked over to the stereo, turned it on, and stretched his hand out to Kate. "Dance with me."

"Castle, I can't..."

"_Kate_, don't make me dance alone," he growled

His deep blue eyes met hers, and she felt her stomach flutter because he used her first name. As she continued to stare into his eyes, she got up and gently grasped his hand. He pulled her close to him and placed one hand at the small of her back. He took his other hand, which still held her own, and slowly brought it up to his chest. He led her as they began to dance to the music together. She felt his warm breath close to her ear, and he whispered, "I picked this song for us to dance to because it makes me think of you."

_You´re better then the best  
>I´m lucky just to linger in your light<br>Cooler than the flip side of my pillow that´s right  
>Completely unaware<br>Nothing can compare to where you send me  
>Lets me know that it´s ok<br>Yeah it´s ok  
>And the moments when my good times start to fade<em>

_You make me smile like the sun  
>Fall outta bed<br>Sing like a bird  
>Dizzy in my head<br>Spin like a record  
>Crazy on a Sunday night<em>

_You make me dance like a fool  
>Forget how to breathe<br>Shine like gold  
>Buzz like a bee<br>Just the thought of you can drive me wild  
>Oh, you make me smile…<em>

Everything in Kate's head told her to stop and run, but her heart wouldn't let her move. Halfway through the song, she heard his soft voice singing against her cheek, and she melted. Just before the song ended, he pulled her back and looked deeply into her eyes. His eyes searched hers, and it was almost as if he could see into her very soul. His voice remained even and serious as he said, "I want you to know that I have_ never _considered you to be just my muse, and I've considered you to be many things. A friend, yes. My partner, yes. Someone I've grown to care deeply about, yes. And yes, you are my muse, but you are _definitely_ not only a muse to me. And I always mean what I say, Kate."

Kate swallowed and blinked back a tear. How did he know that? She noticed they often seemed to read each other's thoughts, but he couldn't know that. "Who told you that I think you only see me as your muse?" she questioned.

He grinned and softly chuckled, "You did. Last night."

Kate gasped in horror.

"Don't worry, your secret's safe with me," he smiled and pulled her close again as another slow song started to play. He pressed his head against her cheek, "By the way, the name Nikki? Couldn't you come up with something more original?"

Kate's heart was racing, and she felt trapped, but at the same time she also felt safe and warm in his arms. His scent overpowered her, and she found herself relaxing back into him. "What can I say? I've heard Rook's been a pain in the ass lately, so she decided to come out and play," she teased.

Rick laughed, "I don't remember her having such expensive tastes in wine. $50,000 a bottle? Really? Collins is just a show-off. Rook would never have to win Nikki over with a $50,000 bottle of wine. Rook only has to use his undeniable charm."

"It sounds like Rook might be just a little bit jealous," Kate smirked.

"Rook pleads the fifth."

They danced silently for a few more songs, content to be in each other's arms. After awhile, he noticed that Kate seemed to get heavier and her knees gave out just a little bit. He looked down at her and noticed she was falling asleep in his arms. He carefully scooped her up and carried her over to his sofa. She protested a little, but it had been a long day, and she was completely exhausted. She drifted effortlessly into sleep. Rick carefully sat down with her, and watched her sleep in his arms for awhile. Kate was so beautiful that she literally took his breath away. He wished he could hold her in his arms every day. He wanted to eat together, laugh together, dance together, and grow old together. He fought back the urge to pick her up and take her to his bed where he would let sleep overcome them, as he wrapped his arms around her and claimed her as his own. What stopped him is that he knew she wasn't ready, and he wasn't sure he was ready either. She couldn't admit what she heard him say, and he couldn't risk anything further until she did. So, he did the next best thing. He shifted her off his lap and nestled her snugly against his side, her head on his chest and his arm fitted snugly around her. He covered them with the blanket on the back of the sofa, gently kissed the top of her head, and whispered softly, "Goodnight Katie."

In all likelihood, she might shoot him tomorrow, but at least there would be tonight. And tonight was everything.

**Thanks for all the reviews again! A special thank-you to Juliettaah and purplangel!**

**The song for this chapter was "Smile" by Uncle Cracker. FYI-In my mind, Victor looks a lot like Gerald Butler.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Castle characters or the songs.**


	8. Always

_Previously…_

_He fought back the urge to pick her up and take her to his bed where he would let sleep overcome them, as he wrapped his arms around her and claimed her as his own. What stopped him is that he knew she wasn't ready, and he wasn't sure he was ready either. She couldn't admit what she heard him say, and he couldn't risk anything further until she did. So, he did the next best thing. He shifted her off his lap and nestled her snugly against his side, her head on his chest and his arm fitted snugly around her. He covered them with the blanket on the back of the sofa, gently kissed the top of her head, and whispered softly, "Goodnight Katie."_

_In all likelihood, she might shoot him tomorrow, but at least there would be tonight. And tonight was everything._

_**The next day (6 days before the prologue)…**_

Kate was dreaming. In her dream, she was nestled safely in Castle's arms, and they were dancing in his loft. It was as if they were the only people in the entire world. They swayed slowly to the music, and his arms were wrapped tightly around her waist, holding her close to him. Her hands were gently interlocked behind his neck, and her head was snuggled securely against his chest. His scent enveloped her, and she found herself completely lost in the moment, completely lost in him.

_When the world gets too heavy  
>Put it on my back<br>I'll be your levy  
>You are taking me apart<br>Like bad glue on a get well card_

_It was always you falling for me  
>Now there's always time calling for me<br>I'm the light blinking at the end of the road  
>Blink back to let me know…<em>

When she finally woke up, she was smiling, despite the fact that she had a headache and was a little nauseous and very thirsty. She blamed Victor and his damned expensive wine for that. She looked around, and she found herself wrapped snugly in a warm blanket on Castle's couch with his arm protectively holding her close to him. She looked up at his face and was surprised to find he was quietly watching her and softly smiling down at her as well.

"Castle, stop watching me. It's creepy," she said as she continued to smile at him.

He just ignored her, sighed, and cuddled her a little closer into him. Thoughts of the night before entered her mind; thoughts of homemade chicken noodle soup and being nestled close to his body while they danced. If she could freeze time, she would have stayed in that moment forever. There was no pressure there, no case, no Victor, no messy emotional issues to deal with. No, it was just him and her, and at that moment, nothing else had mattered. Her thoughts were interrupted by his voice.

"So, you making me breakfast like you did when I valiantly rescued you from your burning apartment?" his smiled broadened, and he chuckled a little.

She leaned up and whispered seductively in his ear, "Isn't it you who should be making _me_ pancakes this morning?"

She heard his breath quickly catch in his throat and knew she had accomplished her goal. "Chocolate chip or blueberry?" he huskily murmured.

"Both," she replied back, as she barely brushed her lips against his. "C'mon Writerboy, let's make pancakes."

Making pancakes had never been so much fun for either one of them. As they mixed the ingredients together, they laughed and bantered back and forth.

"Castle give me more flour."

He playfully responded by putting his finger in the flour and then on her nose.

"Your wish is my command, Detective."

"You are so getting it for that."

She acknowledged his action and reciprocated by trailing a fingertip of batter down the side of his cheek.

However, he surprised her by quickly grabbing her finger, bringing it to his mouth, and suggestively sucking the remaining batter off of it. Hunger radiated from his gaze, and she felt shaky with longing.

"I make you weak in the knees," he smirked.

With that remark, she grabbed his ear and twisted it. "Who's weak now?" she teased.

"Apples! Apples!"

She let go of his ear, and he caught her off guard by grabbing her wrist and spinning her, so her back was tight against his chest and his arms were wrapped around her, holding her solidly in place. As she playfully looked up at him, his lips claimed hers unexpectedly. The kiss was wicked, yet still mischievous.

After a few seconds she pulled away. "I need to get to the precinct. This can't happen."

"It's not my fault that you can't resist my charm." Then he added, "And Detective, I can promise you it will happen again, and you will like it as much, or more, than you just did."

Kate rolled her eyes, "Promises are like babies; easy to make, hard to deliver."

Rick's eyes flickered, and all he could think of was how hot she was at that moment, "That could be the sexiest thing I've ever heard you say."

Rick and Kate ate their pancakes, and then Kate left to go to her apartment and the precinct. When she finally dragged herself into the precinct, she took a couple of aspirin for her headache and ended up drinking three glasses of water to quench her thirst. She tried to finish up some paperwork and get some work done on the case, but she had a hard time focusing because she kept getting drowsy. It also didn't help that her stomach was still queasy. Apparently, chocolate chip and blueberry pancakes were a bad combination; Castle had insisted she try the pancakes with both the blueberries and chocolate chips mixed together.

She couldn't wait to wrap up this case and get her life back to normal. Ordinarily, she was lucky if she found time to go out with Lanie once a month. Now, she was hitting the nightclub scene and keeping late hours every night. Her thoughts were interrupted by Detective Ryan.

"McGee's sister's here. You want to talk to her, or do you want me to?"

"I'll do it. Maybe she knows something we don't. I only wish we had one good, solid lead," she sighed.

"Beckett…Is everything okay?"

"I'll just be glad when this case is over."

As Kate made her way down the hall, Castle caught up to her and joined her. "Did I miss anything?"

"I'm going to talk to McGee's sister. If you'd rather hang out with the boys…"

Castle interrupted her, "No. I'm coming with you."

McGee's sister was a middle-aged woman, who looked like she bore the weight of the world on her shoulders. She was visibly shaken and tearful when she was given the news about her brother. "When we were growing up, Andy and I were so close. We always had each other's backs. Mom died when we were young, and then dad started hitting the bottle. I guess he just missed mom too much and couldn't deal with losing her. Anyway, Andy and I had to look out for each other, and we both had to look out for dad. After we grew up, we drifted apart. I got married, and he went to live in New York. We still made time to see each other for holidays and birthdays, until I found out he was mixed up in drugs. I tried to help him, but he wouldn't listen to me. Finally, I told him to stay away until he straightened up his life. The last time I saw him was when I had my car accident. A drunk driver hit me, and they didn't think I was going to make it. I don't know how he knew, but he came to see me. He thought I was unconscious, but I heard every word he said. He told me he loved me and he was sorry. He said he wished we could put the past behind us and start over. He left a phone number and an address with my husband, but I never called him or saw him again. Instead, I pretended I never heard him and kept what he said to myself, afraid of being hurt again. If only I would have told him that I heard what he said…" She paused for a moment, "Detective, take it from me, don't ever let fear make you wait until it's too late to set things straight with the ones you love."

Kate's breath caught in her throat as she struggled to fight back the wetness that was starting to form behind her eyes. Her stomach hurt from the guilt of the secret she carried with her, and a strong wave of nausea overcame her. She abruptly got up and barely said, "Please excuse me Mrs. Rochester," before she ran out of the room.

Kate ran straight to the bathroom and threw up. When she was done, she looked at herself in the mirror. Her skin was pale, and she looked like hell. She rinsed her mouth out, splashed some cold water on her face, and straightened her hair. She silently prayed that Castle was oblivious to what happened. She took a deep breath and walked out of the bathroom. Unbeknownst to her, he had excused himself shortly after she left and was leaning against the wall outside again, just as he had the day before.

"Kate, is everything okay?" His brow was furrowed, and he looked worried.

"Yeah, I'll be fine. I've had a pounding headache all morning from this case, and your blueberry chocolate chip pancakes didn't help."

"I'm sorry; I didn't mean to make you sick. If it's any consolation, Alexis says my smorelette didn't go over well either."

Kate hesitated, felt guilty, and then said, "No Castle, don't be sorry. You've been great. You made sure I got home safe the other night when I drank too much. Hell, you held my hair back when I got sick yesterday, and you even made me homemade chicken noodle soup. You always seem to have my back. Sometimes I wonder why… You know, I should be thanking you. It's not like I really deserve…"

He interrupted her, "You are extraordinary." Their eyes connected, and for what seemed like an eternity, they glimpsed into each other's souls. With hope, she waited for what he was going to say next. "Listen, I was thinking…" He suddenly looked away and then continued, "Do you think the sister would know if McGee had a girlfriend or anyone else here that was close to him?"

"You know what Castle? I don't know. I'm going home. I'll see you later."

"Beckett…wait…"

Before he could go after her, she walked to her desk, picked up her coat, and left the precinct.

When Kate got home, she called Gates and took the rest of the day off, although she told Gates she would be at the nightclub that night. After that, she collapsed on her couch and slept for the rest of the afternoon and into the early evening. When she finally got up, she checked her phone and noticed Castle had called at least ten times. She ignored his calls and got ready to go to the nightclub. As she showered, got dressed, and put on her make-up, her mind wandered to him. God, he frustrated her! That's why she walked out of the precinct. She expected him to open up and share his feelings with her, but he changed the subject again, as usual. After hearing what Mrs. Rochester said, she thought that maybe it was time they finally talked. She believed they were taking small steps to somewhere when they danced, made breakfast together, and kissed. She just didn't know exactly where "somewhere" was. She was starting to see he wasn't the playboy he was made out to be. A playboy would have taken advantage of her when she was drunk. He didn't. How _did_ he feel about her? He told her she was his friend, his partner, and more than just a muse. He admitted he cared deeply about her. He even claimed he always meant what he said. So, did he mean it when he told her he loved her when she was shot? The only thing she knew for certain was that she could never have a one-night stand with Castle. They were more than that. Her feelings for Castle scared her. He could make her lose control, and she couldn't afford to let that happen.

As she put the finishing touches on her make-up, she wondered what Castle would think of her choice of dress. It was a French scalloped, sequined trimmed, white lace dress. She wore her hair down in soft curls because she knew he liked it that way. That was when it hit her like a ton of bricks;shewas dressing to impress _him_!When did that happen? Then, she realized something else, which shook her to her very soul: _**She was in love with Richard Castle**_.

Later that evening, Victor held Kate triumphantly in his arms while they danced. He had won this round. He smirked as he remembered how she thought she was being wise by only accepting one small glass of wine. What she didn't know was how he laced that glass with just enough arsenic once again. He knew exactly what he was doing. His plan was to poison her slowly over the next few days, until she was finally powerless to fight against him. Then, he would possess her. Sure, his plan encountered a kink when she foolishly drank the entire bottle of wine on the first night it was offered, but he compensated for that oversight and readjusted the dose. He had no desire to kill her,_ for now_. First, he needed to possess her, and then, he would revisit his options. He got her to dance with him in exchange for a grand tour of the nightclub. He knew she was looking for something to link him to McGee's murder. With this in mind, he made sure he peaked her avid curiosity by showing her his office and his safe. He baited her on by confiding how he only let those _closest_ to him in on his most personal affairs. He expressed how he hoped they would become_ so much closer_. And now, here they were. He pulled her closer to him as they danced to the slow music. His eyes were dark and possessive as he leaned down and barely grazed her neck with his teeth and then heatedly kissed it in the same spot, his touch burning her like a brand. As planned, one of his men interrupted them again and told him he was needed regarding some urgent business. He excused himself and made her promise to return the following night. He watched as she quickly left the nightclub. She would be his soon.

Meanwhile, Rick was glaring at the monitor. And yes, he was jealous. As a matter of fact, Esposito and Ryan decided it would be best if they just kept their mouths shut tonight. It looked like she was definitely feeling better. He knew she left the precinct because he evaded her. He almost gave in and bared his soul to her, but luckily, he stopped himself just in time. He was no fool. He needed to know why she lied about not remembering what he said after she was shot. He wondered if Mrs. Rochester's words were part of the reason Kate got so sick. She was holding back, which meant she wasn't ready to go forward. With Kate, he found himself in dangerous territory. He could easily lose himself completely in her and never be able to find his way back. That was a risk he wasn't sure he wanted to take. He remembered how oppressive his life had been when she was gone for those three months after she was shot. He wasn't sure if he could ever survive that again. He knew he loved her, but he also knew she wasn't ready to love him back yet. Kate was definitely a mystery he would never solve; she was forbidden fruit. As he continued to watch the monitor, he tightly clenched his fists and wondered if he could bribe Esposito and Ryan to help him hide Victor's dead body. As soon as he saw her leave, he took off to intercept her.

When she got to her car, he didn't say anything, but he didn't have to. His eyes said it all. They were dark with jealousy and need. Before she could protest, he forcefully pushed her back against the car. He grabbed her face with both of his hands and roughly claimed her lips with his own. The kiss was deep and passionate. It was a kiss of possession. She belonged to him. She responded back to him with unbridled heat; their tongues fighting for dominance. He groaned with pleasure at her response. As she wrapped her arms around his neck and drew him further into the kiss, he swept his hand down the length of her dress and caressed her thigh, lifting her hem in the process. Her body ached for him; his touch lit a fire deep within her soul. He abruptly pulled away, and they were eye to eye, looking into each other's souls as they had done previously that same day. The only thing was he didn't look away this time.

"I promised Alexis that I would take her out to dinner and spend some time with her tonight, so I have to go," he said huskily. "I assure you, we will talk later."

And with that, he left.

Unknown to either one of them, Victor witnessed their entire encounter.

When she got home, she took a shower and put on her pajama pants and her NYPD t-shirt. Castle's kiss left her too flustered to go to sleep, so she was reading a book. She heard her cell phone buzzing.

R: _You there?_

Should she answer or just ignore him and let him think she was already asleep? She threw caution to the wind.

K: _yeah_

R: _Eventful evening, huh? ;)_

She nervously texted him back.

K: _quite_

R:_ I'm jealous. _

She bit her nail as she replied.

K: _you are? of what?_

R: _You're becoming more of a wine connoisseur than me. _

K: _the wine is pleasing enough._

R: _Is that the only thing in the club that's pleasing?_

She knew what he was getting at, but she tried to evade the subject.

K:_ it is an upscale club._

R:_ I saw Collins kissing you._

And there it was. She bit her lip and hesitated before she texted back.

K: _and?_

R:_ I didn't like it._

Should she push this? Should she ask? She reminded herself that he started this.

K: _why not?_

R: _Because you're not his._

She dropped her phone like a hot potato and stared at it like it was a ticking time bomb. They were entering uncharted waters. This could get dangerous. Before she had time to talk herself out of it, she quickly picked up the phone and replied.

K: _maybe my knight in shining armor should rescue me._

R: _Maybe he will._

K:_ sure, i suppose he'll just sweep me into his big strong arms, passionately kiss me & fix everything._

She waited for what seemed like an eternity before she finally received his reply.

R:_ He already has._

She bit her lip and felt warm as she remembered their kiss from earlier.

K: _and what would my knight do if I was scared and alone?_

R: _He would find you and wrap you safely in his arms._

She felt her heart skip a beat.

K: _what if he couldn't save me?_

R: _He would save you. Always._

This entire conversation felt forbidden, but it lured her in, and she felt powerless against it.

K: _he sounds amazing_

R: _He has to be to be to handle you-lol_

So, he wanted to play it that way. Two could play that game. She baited him on.

K: _you're such a comedian. do you have any other hidden talents?_

R: _You have no idea._

He used her own line against her! He was asking for it. She paused, but then took a deep breath, smiled wickedly, and replied.

K: _enlighten me, kitten_

R: _There is this one thing I do with honey. ;)_

Clever. She knew she was being evil, but she couldn't help herself.

K: _show me ;)_

R: _You couldn't handle it, little girl._

Her mouth gaped open. _He didn't_._ He did_. He called her a little girl. No one ever talked to her like that and lived. Her breath quickened.

K: _little girl, huh? remember, i've got handcuffs, and i know how to use them. _

R: _Bondage...So sexy...Just remember Apples is my safe word._

She laughed and sighed. She had to admit that she was having fun talking to him, but somewhere inside, she wanted more. She wanted to flirt with danger.

K: _i've got a secret._

She noticed it took him a lot longer to reply.

R: _What is it, Kate?_

Her stomach fluttered. He had used her first name.

K:_ remember when we were in LA?_

R: _Yes._

She took a deep breath. She couldn't believe she was going to do this.

K: _after i left the room, i came back...but you were gone._

R: _Call me._

Kate's breath quickened, and her hands trembled as she held the phone. Should she really call him? She _was_ the one who wanted to flirt with danger. Well, now she was cornered. She took a deep breath, faced her demons, and dialed his number. One ring. Two rings. Three rings…

"Kate?"

"Yeah?"

"Did you really come back?" he asked softly.

"Yeah."

"Why?"

Her voice was barely a whisper, "I wanted to be with you."

In a low voice, he replied, "I wanted to be with you too."

No other words were needed, and they were content to just listen to each other breathing for several minutes. During this time, a deep peace enveloped and relaxed her, and his breathing lulled her to sleep as the day caught up to her.

"Katie?"

He smiled. He could tell from her breathing that she had fallen asleep, so he did the next best thing. He laid his cell phone on his bed without disconnecting the call, and he peacefully drifted off to sleep as well.

_It was always you falling for me  
>Now there's always time calling for me<br>I'm the light blinking at the end of the road  
>Blink back to let me know<br>Blink back to let me know…_

**Boy, was this chapter tedious! I ended up tweaking and retweaking it again. I just hope it turned out ok. Sorry I haven't been able to respond to all the wonderful reviews, but I've been sooo busy lately. By the way, my daughter finally convinced me to get a Twitter account (****Cr8ivElizaCaste). Feel free to follow me and harass me to update quicker. Harassing helps. **

**Please, please, please review. I love to hear your input. You know you want to. It's easy. Just hit that link at the bottom of the page. **

**The song for this chapter was "Always" by Panic at the Disco.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Castle characters or the songs.**


	9. Update

Just a quick update to let everyone know that I haven't forgotten about this fanfic. I intend to update in the next week or so. Life just seems to be getting in the way. If you all get a chance, please go to Castle Fans (Home of the Castle Fan Awards) and vote for my fanfic story **Simply Extraordinary**. It is a finalist in the 2012 Castle Fan Awards in category A9. I would be forever grateful and so in your debt. The story is about Castle and Beckett playing truth or dare. Maybe while I'm finishing the next chapter you all could read it and give me a vote. Thanks so much for reading. You all are simply great!


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